BIO 1201
COURSE NAME:
INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY
COURSE CODE:
BIO 1201
CREDIT UNITS:
3 CU (45 CH)
SEMESTER WHEN OFFERED:
Semester One of Year One
VENUE:
DOSATE Biology Laboratory
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is to provide students with a deeper understanding of the invertebrate organisms,
their classification, evolutionary affinities and economic importance. The course includes
studying invertebrate phyla such as protozoa, porifera, cnidaria, acoelomates, annelida,
arthropoda, mollusca, echinodermata and protochordata, and the relationship between
protochordates and chordates.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1.
Analyse the progressive complexity of animal taxa
2.
Examine biological contributions of each phylum to the advancement of the animal
kingdom
3.
Identify basic characters used in the taxonomy of invertebrate animals
4.
Recognise and sketch the important features of invertebrates routinely used for diagnosis
5.
Relate the structure and function of the invertebrate body
6.
Assess the socio-economic/or ecological importance of different invertebrate groups
7.
Acquire basic techniques, and protocol for collecting, processing and preserving both live
and dead invertebrate specimens in school laboratory.
COURSE CONTENT
 Phylum Protozoa; general characteristics, classification of protozoa and social
economic importance of the different protozoa.
 Phylum Porifera; peneral characteristics and classification.
 Phylum Cnidaria; characteristics, biological contributions, life diversity and
classification.
 Phylum Platyhelminths; general characteristics, body organization, larval
development, socio-economic importance and classification.
 Phylum Nematoda; general characteristics, body plan both internal and external
plus classification of nematodes.
 Phylum Acanthocephala; diagnostic and special features, economic importance
and classification.
 Phylum Annelida; general characteristics, external and internal body organization,
physiology, behaviour, ecological importance and classification of annelids.
 Phylum Mollusca; general characteristics, body organization and function,
physiology and classification of molluscs.
 Phylum Arthropoda; general characteristics, major groups of arthropoda, general
characteristics of these groups, structure and function of a few representatives of
these taxa
 Phylum Enchinodemata;
General
characteristics,
physiology
and
Classification of Echinodermata
 Phylum Hemichordata; Phylogeny and classification, Body structure and function
of representatives of classes Enteropneusta, and Pterobranchia.
MODE OF DELIVERY, EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT
(a)Mode of delivery:
Lectures, Laboratory practicals, discussions, seminars, workshops and individual research will
constitute the mode of conducting this course.
(b) Assessment:
i) A continuous assessment will be constituted by written assignments, practicals
and course unit test(s).
ii) The assessment will constitute 30% of the overall grade attained while the
final University written examination will constitute 70%.
READING LIST
1. Barnes, R.S.K; Calow, P and Olive, P.J.W (1993). The invertebrates: a new synthesis.
2nd ed. Blackwell Science. London
2. Campbell, N.A; and Reece, B.J. (2002). Biology. 6th ed. Addison Wesley series. New
York. Cape Town
3. Smyth, J.D (1994). Introduction to Animal Parasitology. Cambridge University Press.
Cambridge